1639 — First observation of transit of Venus occurred (only 2, record event)
1759 — Destructive eruption of Vesuvius
1859 — Charles Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species"
1863 — Civil War battle for Lookout Mountain began in Tennessee
1871 — National Rifle Association organized (NYC)
1896 — First U.S. absentee voting law enacted by Vermont
1938 — National Semi-Pro Basketball Congress authorizes yellow basketball
1944 — U.S. bombers based on Saipan, first attack Tokyo
1954 — First U.S. Presidential airplane christened
1958 — Mali becomes an autonomous state within French Community
1983 — PLO exchanges 6 Israeli prisoners for 4,500 Palestinians & Lebanese
1992 — Chinese air crash kills 141